diff --git a/libweston/weston-log-internal.h b/libweston/weston-log-internal.h
index 02a05f19..f1bfa6a5 100644
--- a/libweston/weston-log-internal.h
+++ b/libweston/weston-log-internal.h
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ weston_log_subscription_create(struct weston_log_subscriber *owner,
 void
 weston_log_subscription_destroy(struct weston_log_subscription *sub);
 
-struct weston_log_subscription *
-weston_log_subscriber_get_only_subscription(struct weston_log_subscriber *subscriber);
-
 void
 weston_log_subscription_add(struct weston_log_scope *scope,
 			    struct weston_log_subscription *sub);
diff --git a/libweston/weston-log-wayland.c b/libweston/weston-log-wayland.c
index 732439f2..0add7728 100644
--- a/libweston/weston-log-wayland.c
+++ b/libweston/weston-log-wayland.c
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ static void
 weston_log_debug_wayland_to_destroy(struct weston_log_subscriber *sub)
 {
 	struct weston_log_debug_wayland *stream = to_weston_log_debug_wayland(sub);
-	stream_close_on_failure(stream, "debug name removed");
+
+	if (stream->fd != -1)
+		stream_close_on_failure(stream, "debug name removed");
 }
 
 static struct weston_log_debug_wayland *
@@ -201,20 +203,10 @@ static void
 stream_destroy(struct wl_resource *stream_resource)
 {
 	struct weston_log_debug_wayland *stream;
-	struct weston_log_subscription *sub = NULL;
-
 	stream = wl_resource_get_user_data(stream_resource);
 
-	if (stream->fd != -1)
-		close(stream->fd);
-
-	sub = weston_log_subscriber_get_only_subscription(&stream->base);
-
-	/* we can have a zero subscription if clients tried to subscribe
-	 * to a non-existent scope */
-	if (sub)
-		weston_log_subscription_destroy(sub);
-
+	stream_close_unlink(stream);
+	weston_log_subscriber_release(&stream->base);
 	free(stream);
 }
 
diff --git a/libweston/weston-log.c b/libweston/weston-log.c
index 7d85a6be..b6f46c31 100644
--- a/libweston/weston-log.c
+++ b/libweston/weston-log.c
@@ -293,30 +293,6 @@ weston_log_subscription_destroy(struct weston_log_subscription *sub)
 	free(sub);
 }
 
-/** Retrieve a subscription by using the subscriber
- *
- * This is useful when trying to find a subscription from the subscriber by
- * having only access to the stream.
- *
- * @param subscriber the subscriber in question
- * @returns a weston_log_subscription object
- *
- * @memberof weston_log_subscription
- */
-struct weston_log_subscription *
-weston_log_subscriber_get_only_subscription(struct weston_log_subscriber *subscriber)
-{
-	struct weston_log_subscription *sub;
-	/* unlikely, but can happen */
-	if (wl_list_length(&subscriber->subscription_list) == 0)
-		return NULL;
-
-	assert(wl_list_length(&subscriber->subscription_list) == 1);
-
-	return wl_container_of(subscriber->subscription_list.prev,
-			       sub, owner_link);
-}
-
 /** Adds the subscription \c sub to the subscription list of the
  * scope.
  *